MUSIC. art. CULTURE. HAMILTON. NEW ZEALAND

​In this fourth and final article, we feature the responses given by candidates running for the Hamilton East Ward – Russell Armitage, Anna Casey-Cox, Mark Bunting, Tony Dixon, Snowy Haitana, Allan Halse, Ryan Hamilton, Roger Hennebry, Tania Hennebry, Nick Johnston, Mano Manoharan and Phillip Yeung. Answers were also received by other candidates running for Hamilton East – Paula Southgate, Rob Pascoe and Jack Gielen – their responses were featured in our previous articles as they are also running for Mayor.

Sincere thanks yet again for everyone for taking the time to answer. As a reminder the five questions asked to each candidate were:

1. Have you attended much live music in Hamilton in your time? Any favourite memories? Any favourite Hamilton bands/artists?2. Do you play a musical instrument and/or have you ever played in a band?3. If elected, are there any things you would assist with, in terms of providing a more supportive infrastructure for nurturing a range of new musical talent in our city? (Radio/venues/practice spaces/recording facilities/grants/other) 4. How do you listen to music these days - ipod/computer/vinyl/CD/cassette/other? 5. What would be your favourite five albums or artists of all time?

Here goes...

Mark Bunting1. Yes, I arrived in Hamilton as the breakfast jock when the Rock was a local station and as such was immersed into the live rock scene when it was pumping. 848, Blackjack, Whisperscream, the Politicians, Tim Armstrong, Richie Pickett. Bands you were probably conceived to. Top music, top people. I fell in love with Sound the Ocean JUST before they broke up, so maybe I'm the kiss of death for them??

2. Yes, I play rhythm guitar badly and dabble with drums. And bagpipes. My 8 year old son and I have JUST started learning the Sax together too. I'm pretty bad, but I can bang away.

3. I'd love to see a real Hamilton sound emerge again. After we left the Rock (Grant Hislop and the likes) the outlet for local music on the airwaves shut down a bit. I doubt there's much a council can do to influence radio airplay, but nowadays bands don't need it. I would love to suggest those lunchtime mini concerts the mayor runs in the council reception lounge spread out a bit to more acoustic sets. I wonder if there might be an avenue for a council funded recording scholarship through the Tron Music Trust or Zeal?

4. Now I've got all old and boring I still hit radio a fair bit, but on my phone through Spotify and very occasionally iheart. I have to confess I'm enjoying country rock at the moment. I dragged my vinyls out the other day for nostalgia but pretty quickly found myself having a sad party for one.

5. 1- Dire Straits love over gold. FIRST album I ever heard in stereo - thruSony Walkman headphones. Can you imagine having been brought up on AM mono then hearing Telegraph Road rumbling up through different parts of your head all at once? One of my favourite memories2 - Harry Chapin - Stories Live. If you want to know what the 70's felt like, get yourself some fruitcake, cover it in custard, sit on a hill overlooking lake Wakitipu with a cold beer or otherwise at hand.3 - Netherworld Dancing Toys, Painted Years. It was my band at Otago University and was a real alternative to the darker Chills/Sneaky Feelings/ Johnny Mac and the Thrusters that were the cool Dunedin bands. They also remind me of Sound the Ocean - but with a great brass section.4 - Jackson Browne, Running on empty. No matter what the world throws at me, this album makes me feel safe5 - Queen - Innuendo/The Works/Jazz. Please don't make me pick one!6 - Sting, Dream of the Blue Turtles. There are so many easter eggs in that album7 - John Lennon - Working Class Hero - Ok, it's a compilation but it incorporates 20 years of genius8 - Nathaniel Ratcliffe and the Nightsweats - FANTASTIC loud - but not when you're driving past a school9 - Blackjack - Deal. Now you fly still makes me cry10 - Miranda Lambert Platinum - Like I said, don't judge me11 - Split Enz - True Colours. 16 years old, Dunedin school party .. 'Nobody Takes me seriously anymore' at full volume12 - ok, I'll stop now

​Nick Johnston1. I have attended many gigs in Hamilton over the past 12-13 years. The very first gig I went to was in 2003 with MSU, The Shrugs and the Hollow Grinders playing in Richard Swainson's flat on Cambridge Road. It left a major impression on me as a teenager and I still consider it the best house gig I've ever seen.2. I play piano and most other keyboard instruments. Over the past ten years I've played in Sora Shima, Dynamo Go, The Changing Same and Conway. While I haven't played with them live, I'd recorded with The Shrugs on several of their albums. 3. One of my policy platforms is 'thriving arts and culture'. This can't happen in our city with well funded support infrastructure for the creative sector. If I'm elected I will be a strong advocate for greater investment in community-led arts organisations. I think facilities like venues and practice spaces are best managed by the community but I think the council should have a role in financially supporting these organisations. 4. Streaming and vinyl. I buy the occasional CD but when I'm purchasing an album I prefer getting a vinyl copy (which often comes with a handy digital download).5. I might cheat and go with my favourite albums in the last year or two. Even them I'm bound to miss out some great music. Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You, Viet Cong - Viet Cong, Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly, D'Angelo - Black Messiah, Underworld - Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future.

Anna Casey-Cox1. When I was younger I enjoyed the live music at the Caz Bar, Biddy Mulligans and Diggers. When I was younger still, my school friends were part of a group called 'Death of a Monkey' and I used to travel around with them to gigs. I grew up going to Split Enz converts. I'm a big fan of the local Ukulele group, Apple Strumbles - they have supported a number of the Environment Centre's events and added a neat layer of enjoyment and atmosphere. It was fun to have some involvement with the Volume Collective in the Climate Change march last year. My son is part of the Fairfield Intermediate Rock Band and I really enjoyed going to Band Slam and Band Quest this year.

2. Yes, I play the guitar and piano but not overly well, let’s just say, enough to sing a little at home with my children and family.

3. I would love to support with this. I have to say that I'm not sure what the facilities are like currently, but I would be keen to know more about this and would certainly advocate for better facilities if it would mean that more local music could be played and heard. I think music is a vital form of expression, especially for our young people.

Ryan Hamilton 1. Quite a bit over time from Knox Street straight-edge, to the jazz bar that used to be in Vic street downstairs, the old Knox Street straight-edge school days, Mama Said at the Loaded Hog to Keystone more recently.

2. A sad guitar study unfortunately

3. I’m open to more conversations about this, While I wouldn’t be a big supporter of council putting lots of funding into non-core things I’m sure there is scope e.g. Zeal helping to pre train youth in music etc., I am keen to collaborate and part of council roles could be to offer ‘in kind’ sponsorship by way of venues/facilities etc.

4. IPhone via auxiliary and some radio while driving

5. U2, ACDC, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Coldplay.

Tony Dixon 1. Not as much as I used to. Nana Mouskouri , Gerry and the pacemakers at the founders. Martin Curtis and other folk singers on a regular basis. Best memory was the final Split Enz concert at founders in 1984.

2. The tin whistle. Played in a Irish ceilidh Band for a while, even performed at The founders! Occasionally still play but now concentrate on singing celtic songs at local Scottish and Irish gatherings.

3. Whether or not I’m elected, I will be promoting local music through my involvement with The Waikato Winter Show Association. We are planning to have more local music at our next Waikato Show in April next year. Keep in touch you could be involved in that!

4. Some Ipod, mostly CD and yes, some cassette and Vinyl.

5. This takes me back. Pet Sounds by the Beach boys; Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Simon and Garfunkel; The Hard and the Easy by Great Big Sea; Ukulele songs by Eddie Vedder; and anything by Leonard Cohen and The Chieftains.

Phillip Yeung 1. I have not attended live music concert in Hamilton. Having said that, I do attend many ethnic functions, festivals and celebrations with cultural performances and live music.

2. No, I do not play any musical instrument except harmonica when I was in school.

3. Yes, I always support performing arts. I fully support the establishment of ZEAL (even when I was working as Ethnic Development Advisor in Council from 2001-2013). Besides what you mentioned in the questions, I would like to see the promotion of other cultural performances including music.

4. I am an old fashion man and I listen music mostly on CDs and sometimes, over the internet.

5. As a migrant from Hong Kong, I still listen to music from Hong Kong in Cantonese and Mandarin. Other than that, I like John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Paul Mauriat. Sorry that I do not like rock and roll music.

Russell Armitage1. Yes hundreds but all classical concerts at places like Founders, Academy of Performing Arts, St Peter’s Cathedral, Clarence St Theatre etc. Although I have also been to an really enjoyed many musicals - the most recent being the very good State Highway 48 - lyrics and music by Chris Williams of Hamilton.

2. I played the clarinet and for some years when in Wellington played in a wind band called Wellington Winds.

3. Most certainly in principle I would support this as I have spent many years doing this for classical music. I send out a fortnightly email to 1200 people to advise them of all the concerts on in Hamilton. This has helped to increase audiences for some groups and organizations by 50%. My main aim in the arts now is bums on seats - there is a wealth of performances on offer - we need to increase the audiences. So that applies to your area of music as well.

4. RNZ Concert, DVDs at home or in car, or ‘live screenings’ of opera films at the Lido. Or at least once a week a live concert. Never on Utube or computer etc as sound quality not good. Never on earphones.

5. Not applicable to me.

Mano Manoharan1. Yes number of times in Founders Theatre, Clarence Theatre and school halls.2. Never3. Yes, soft music and live radio programmes in shopping malls and shopping areas in streets4. Computer, CD, Casette, Radio.5. Famous singers of 1960 - 1975

Allan Halse 1. Yes, but not that often. A friend Stephen (Chook) Cooper is in a band called Mule. 2. No to either of the above but if I return in another life and am not tone deaf, I will. 3. I would support the growth of infrastructure and other mechanisms to assist growth with the music industry.4. Radio and CD's in my car. Computer, radio or stereo at home. 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel, A Night at the Opera – Queen, Abbey Road – Beatles, Legend - Bob Marley, Metallica by Metallica

Snowy Haitana 1. I have attended live bands but not for some time. Boney M in the 90's was pretty cool and Midge Marsden Band from Raglan.

2. I play harmonica and have played with blues bands in the past.

3. Absolutely, I would assist in catering for the needs of the musicians in Hamilton, as best as I could. I would support you in council and try my best to persuade my fellow councillors also. I say this not because I want your vote but because music is as necessary as education to me.

Tania Hennebry1. Yes, concerts at Founders Theatre, and live shows at Riverlea, Clarence Street and Meteor. All memorable and went to see Michael Buble with my daughter in Auckland which was a special mother and daughter outing. Thoroughly enjoy the regular guitarist and singer at Keystone, was there on Friday night.

2. Piano and ukulele.

3. Would support continued HCC creative Waikato funding and HCC could also apply for funding for specific projects to WEL Energy Trust to encourage and showcase talent in Garden Place for some regular events to create a buzz in the CBD with live music.

4. Listen to the radio to and from work and at work Spotify provides a wide range of music to suit the mood and create atmosphere.

5. If I have to name only 5 then, Billy Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Norah Jones and Michael Buble. I like heaps of different music.

Roger Hennebry1. Yes love live music from Buddy Holly, Fleetwood Mac to Foster and Allen and a lot in between.

2. Unfortunately no.

3. If re-elected would continue to support rental subsidy for community groups, Live impromptu places, a new Founders of course (regionally funded), improve the facilities currently provided in Garden Place need a plastic roof (sound shell) to bring some life to Garden Place.